andUnformation 


& 


arents  and  Others 


Regarding  Diphtheria 


Prevention 


b  1  2  3  t 


. 


rfv  • 


A 


STATE  DEPARTMENT  OF  PUBLIC  HEALTH 
Isaac  D.  Rawlings,  M.  D.,  Director 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 


3  0112  121960741 

Additional  copies  of  this  leaflet  for  general  distri¬ 
bution  may  be  obtained  by  writing  to  the 
Illinois  Department  of  Public  Health, 

Springfield. 


ILLINOIS  STATE  LIBRARY 


WHAT  DIPHTHE1 

Diphtheria  killed  4 Vo  persons  in  Ill 
1924  and  caused  6,859  cases  iUness. 
all  of  these  persons  were  children'll^  than 
years  old.  Usually  there  are  more  than 
cases  and  more  than  1,000  deaths  annually  frori 
diphtheria  in  Illinois.  Diphtheria  is  distinctly  al 
childhood  disease,  more  than  85  per  cent  of  the! 
cases  and  deaths  occurring  among  children  under 
8  years  of  age. 

Ignorance  and  Carelessness  Cause  Diphtheria 


Diphtheria  can  positively  he  prevented.  Three 
injections  of  toxin-antitoxin  will  make  children  x 
immune  to  diphtheria  just  the  same  as  vaccina¬ 
tion  will  make  them  immune  to  smallpox. 

Parents  who  do  not  know  this  permit  their 
children  to  run  the  risk  of  catching  diphtheria 
because  of  ignorance.  Parents  who  do  know  that 
toxin-antitoxin  will  prevent  diphtheria  and  do  not 
give  their  children  the  advantage  of  this  protec¬ 
tion  permit  them  to  ruh  the  risk  of  catching 
diphtheria  because  of  wilful  carelessness  or 
indifference.  ^ 

Why  Toxin-antitoxin  Should  be  Used  V 

The  use  of  toxin-antitoxin  to  prevent  diphtherial 
is  a  thoroughly  scientific  procedure.  It  is  en¬ 
dorsed  and  recommended  by  leading  physicians^ 
and  by  official  public  health  authorities. 

If  given  to  young  children,  toxin-antitoxin  will 
establish  an  immunity  to  diphtheria  which  will 
continue  during  all  the  years  when  this  disease 
is  most  likely  to  occur.  (In  other  words,  it  will 
do  for  the  child  exactly  what  nature  does  for 
most  folks  in  the  course  of  time.  It  amounts 
simply  to  hastening  the  work  of  nature.) 


to  have  their  chi] 
munized  should  take  the  matter  up  with 
physician.  Hand  him  a  copy  of  this  leaflet^ 
tell  him  about  it.  The  State  Department  oi 
Public  Health  works  through  physicians  altogeth-] 
er  in  connection  with  this  service. 

Who  Should  be  Immunized 

Every  healthy  child  between  six  months  and 
eight  years  of  age  should  be  immunized  against 
this  disease.  If  this  were  done,  diphtheria  would 
soon  disappear.  There  is  no  objection  to  giving 
toxin-antitoxin  to  older  children  but  many  of 
them  have  already  developed  a  natural  immunity 
and  have  passed  through  the  period  of  most 
danger  from  diphtheria. 

Proof  of  Results  from  Toxin-antitoxin 

In  the  fraternity  school  at  Mooseheart,  Illinois 
where  more  than  1000  children  are  enrolled,  the 
medical  director  began  immunizing  all  children 
with  toxin-antitoxin  in  1920.  Since  that  year  not 
a  single  case  of  diphtheria  has  occurred  among 
'the  pupils  of  the  school,  although  they  were 
definitely  exposed  to  the  disease  on  a  number  of 
occasions.  Prior  to  that  year  there  were  from  16 
to  50  cases  among  the  pupils  yearly.  Many  other 
institutions  throughout  the  country  and  a  few 
cities  have  reported  results  like  that  at  Moose- 
heart. 

Protect  Your  Children 

Toxin-antitoxin  is  given  hypodermically  in 
three  doses  at  intervals  of  one  week.  The  full 
course  takes  two  weeks.  Immunity  against 
diphtheria  follows  in  from  three  to  six  months. 

Protect  your  children  against  this  treacherous 
disease.  DO  IT  NOW. 


•en 


toxin.  It  sometimes 
ly  for  a  day  or  two  but  this  rarely  Imp¬ 
's  to  children  under  eight  years  old  and  child- 
are  the  ones  who  need  it  most. 


When  Toxin-antitoxin  Should  be  Given 


Toxin-antitoxin  should  be  given  to  children  as 
soon  as  practical  after  six  months  of  age.  Prior 
to  that  date  they  do  not  need  it  because  of  a 
temporary  natural  immunity.  If  given  at  six 
months  of  age,  ample  time  is  allowed  for  the 
toxin-antitoxin  to  establish  immunity  before  ex¬ 
cessive  exposure  to  diphtheria. 

It  does  no  immediate  good  to  give  toxin- 
antitoxin  to  children  after  they  have  been  exposed 
to  diphtheria  because  it  usually  takes  from  three 
to  six  months  for  the  immunity  to  become  estab¬ 
lished.  Obviously  the  most  practical  time  to  give 
the  toxin-antitoxin  is  when  no  diphtheria  is  pres¬ 
ent  in  the  community. 

After  definite  exposure  to  diphtheria  or  in  the 
face  of  an  epidemic  children  may  be  temporarily 
protected  by  giving  them  antitoxin.  This  product* 
gives  immediate  protection  but  the  immunity 
lasts  but  a  few  weeks  and  in  no  sense  serves  the 
purpose  of  toxin-antitoxin. 


What  Immunization  Against  Diphtheria  Costs 

The  State  Department  of  Public  Health  dis¬ 
tributes  toxin-antitoxin  to  citizens  of  Illinois 
FREE  of  cost.  The  only  cost  of  immunization  to 
parents  is  the  physician’s  fee.  Any  physician  in 
the  State  may  secure  a  supply  of  toxin-antitoxin 
upon  request,  the  only  condition  being  that  he 
arrange  for  20  or  more  immunizations 
time. 


that  he  , 
at  one  i 


